Bracelet.



J. D. KIRBY.

BRACELET. APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1910.

993,305. Patented May 23, 1911.

Fig. 1

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ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETERS cm. WASHINGTQN, u. c.

miiran s'rarns Parana orrion JAMES D. KIRBY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOIR, TO HANLON- THORNTON COMPANY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BRACELET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, JAMES D. KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bracelets, of which the following is a speclfication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to bracelets and has for its object to provide a bracelet made in two tubular members or parts hingedly connected together and overlapping to permit of expansion. And a further object of the invention is to provide such a bracelet with a spring inclosed within the tublng and so connected as to act upon the two members to normally contract them.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1-- is a perspective view, partly in section, of my improved bracelet in a preferred embodiment. Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged top view, showing the overlapping ends of the bracelet members in section. Fig. 3 is a detail enlarged view of the joint ends of the members. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective showing the slotted end of the bracelet tubing. F ig. 5 is a detail perspective showing the cap for closing one end of the tubing. Fig. 6 represents a transverse section of Fig. 2 illustrating the manner of mounting a setting upon the tubing. Fig. 7 shows the hook which projects from the end of one tubing member into the overlapping tubing member and to which one end of the coil spring is attached. Fig. 8 shows a spring loop forming a key or anchor for the hook which hook may be soldered inside of the bracelet tube.

Referring to the drawings 1 and 2 are the tubular members of the bracelet which abut as at 3, and into these ends are inserted hinged members 4 and 5 respectively. Said members A and 5 are connected by a pintle indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, so as to allow the bracelet to expand in passing over the hand of the wearer. This joint is more fully described and is claimed in my application for Letters Patent for oint for tubular sections, which I have executed this day.

Each of the members comprises a folded piece of metal, and one is formed with a recess and the other with a tongue pivotally mounted in said recess. The member a is secured in the section 2 by any suitable means, and the member 5 may also be secured in section 3 but is preferably free to slide slightly therein when the bracelet expands and contracts. The loop 13 resulting from folding the piece of metal which forms the member 5, serves to hold one end of the spring as hereinafter described, and therefore the said member 5 serves the double function of forming a part of the hinge point and providing an anchor for the spring. The other ends 6, 7, of the members 1 and 2 are arranged to overlap so as to lie side by side, one of the members being slotted at 8, see Fig. 4:, the end of the parallel member 2 being provided with an outwardly extending hook 9 which passes into member 1 through slot 8. The shank 7 of this hook is inserted through a small hole 10 in the tubing of member 2. In order to fasten this hook within this tubular member, its end is passed into a spring U- shaped loop 11, see Figs. 2 and 8, and secured thereto by a drop of solder or other suitable means, thus forming a secure anchor for holding the hook in position in the tubing. The ends of the tubing are preferably closed by means of caps 12 and 16, adapted to fit closely into the ends of the tube and be secured therein by a drop of solder or other suitable means.

When it is desired to mount a stone or fix an ornamentation to the tubing the same is usually placed over and attached to one of the overlapping ends in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. Such mounting is indicated as a whole at 18.

In assembling my improved bracelet the spring 14 is passed through the section 1 of the tubing and secured at one end preferably to the loop 13 of one of the joint members 5, the body 17 of which as has been mentioned, is preferably not rigidly mount-ed, but is anchored by its pivotal connection with joint member 4. The opposite end of this spring is then attached to the hook 9 which proj ects from member 2, by which arrangement this spring serves to draw the overlapping ends in a direction to contract the bracelet, until the hook brings up against the inner end 15 of the slot 8. The caps 12 and 16 are now placed in position and the bracelet is complete. In operating the bracelet it is only necessary to draw these overlapping ends apart in order to expand the same sufficiently to permit it to be passed over the hand of the wearer and upon being released it will automatically return to its closed or normal position.

I claim:

1. A bracelet formed of two curved tubular members hinged together at one end and having their other ends overlapping side by side, and a spring mounted in one member of the tubing and connected to the other member of the tubing to contract the bracelet after the same has been expanded.

2. A bracelet comprising two curved tubular members hinged together at one end and having their other ends overlapping side by side, a spring in one of said parts and connected to the other part, the hinge including a member having a loop to which one end of the spring is connected.

3. A bracelet comprising two curved tubular members hinged together at one end and having their other ends overlapping side by side, one member having a slot along its overlapping portion, the other member having a projection passing through said slot, and a spring having one end connected to said projection and having its other end anchored.

4. A bracelet comprising two curved tubular members which meet in alinement at one end, a hinge attached to and located and concealed in said meeting portions, the other ends of the members overlapping side by side and one of them being formed with a slot, the other member carrying a projection which passes through said slot, and a spring connected at one end to said projection and at the other end anchored within the bracelet.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES D. KIRBY.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLOW, E. I. OGDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

